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Resident Physicians as Champions in Preventing Device-Associated Infections

Tools To Help Mitigate Device Risk

Resident Physician Device Risk Checklist

Device Action Taken (if necessary)
Urinary Catheter
Appropriately indicated?a Yes No  
Catheter secured? Yes No  
Bag below bladder? Yes No  
Mechanical Ventilation
Head of bed elevated ≥ 30°? Yes No  
Elevated for a sedation vacation trial today? Yes No  
Ready to be extubated today? Yes No  
Peripheral Venous Catheter (PVC)
Dressing intact? Yes No  
Site: no redness or drainage? Yes No  
Need: line still necessary? Yes No  
Central Venous Catheter (CVC)
Dressing intact? Yes No  
Site: dry and no erythema? Yes No  
Need: line still necessary? Yes No  
For High-Risk PVCs and CVCs
Emergency placed line?b Yes No  
Femoral line?b Yes No  

aThe appropriate indications for urinary catheter include: urinary flow obstruction or retention, perioperative use in selected surgeries, need for prolonged immobilization, monitoring fluids in critically ill patients, assist healing of sacral and perineal wounds in those with incontinence, or improve comfort at end of life care.
bFemoral lines or emergently placed (not aseptically) CVCs need to be promptly removed to reduce infection risk.

Resident Physician Device Risk Pocket Card

Resident Physician Device Risk Pocket Card

 

CUSP Toolkit

The CUSP Toolkit includes training tools to make care safer by improving the foundation of how physicians, nurses, and other clinical team members work together. It builds the capacity to address safety issues by combining clinical best practices and the science of safety.

Specific tools that may be helpful are—

  • Learning From Defects Tool
  • Coordinating a Morning Briefing
  • Team Checkup Tool

The CUSP toolkit can be accessed via the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) site.

 

TeamSTEPPS

The Department of Defense and AHRQ developed TeamSTEPPS as a means to improve efficiency, quality and safety in health care. 

Specific tools that may be helpful are—

  • TeamSTEPPS Pocket Guide (see below)
  • The Quick Reference Guide to TeamSTEPPS Action Planning

The TeamSTEPPS materials can be accessed via the AHRQ site.

Example of TeamSTEPPS Pocket Guide

Cover of TeamSTEPPS Pocket Guide.

Planning: Brief - short session prior to start to discuss team formation; assign essential roles; establish expectations and climate; anticipate outcomes and likely contingencies. Problem Solving: Huddle - Ad hoc planning to reestablish situation awareness; reinforcing plans already in place; and assessing the need to adjust the plan. Process Improvement: Debrief - Informal information exchange session designed to improve team performance and effectiveness; after action review.                                     During the brief, the team should address the following questions: Who is on the team? All members understand and agree upon goals? Roles and responsibilities are understood? What is our plan of care? Staff and provider's availability throughout the shift? Workload among team members? Availability of resources?

 

 

 

Page last reviewed October 2015
Page originally created October 2015

Internet Citation: Tools To Help Mitigate Device Risk . Content last reviewed October 2015. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
https://www.ahrq.gov/hai/cauti-tools/phys-championsgd/section8.html

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